Press Report 15th March 2016  

Mar 152016
 

Barcelona Marathon
Barcelona 13th March 2016
Ilford AC’s Paul Holloway ran a superbly judged race when recording a personal best for the distance in the Barcelona marathon on Sunday. Paul’s chip time of 2 hours 52 mins and 50 secs (gun time 2.52.56) placed him 347th in a mass field of nearly 17000 runners. However more impressive than his finishing position were the splits times with the Ilford man gong through halfway in 1.26.35 and coming back slightly quicker in 1.26.15, emulating the perfect recommended way to run a marathon.

Colchester Half Marathon
Sunday 13th March 2016
Blair McWhirter of Ilford AC returned to Colchester for the half marathon which he won two years ago when he defeated local favourite Adrian Mussett. On this occasion Mussett gained revenge winning the race in 69.53. Blair, despite being disappointed with his race, finished 2nd in 73 mins 15 secs. Roared on by hundreds of spectators who lined the streets across the town, around 2,600 participants took on the 13.1 mile circuit, raising thousands of pounds for charities and other good causes.

British Masters Cross Country Championships
Sunday 13th March 2016
On Sunday three members of Ilford AC competed with the cream of UK Veterans In the British Masters Cross Country Championships held around the grounds of Bath University in Somerset.
The first race was combined for woman over 35 and men over 65 and was held on a 6K grassland course and saw Ilford’s over 55 veteran Kim Baxter finish in 41 minutes and 3 seconds.
This was followed by the men’s race covering ages 35 to 64 on an extended course of 8k. Ilford legend, Terry Knightley, finished in 62nd position for 30 minutes and 48 seconds and was 13th in the male over 55 category. Following him home was the Club’s elder statesman, Andy Catton, in 76th place in 32 minutes and 30 seconds for 9th place in the male over 60 category.

BMAF Indoor Track and Field Championships
Lee Valley 12th – 13th March 2016
Ilford AC superveteran John Batchelor was in action at these championships over the weekend. On Saturday he took the M75 1500m title in an age-group championship best of 5:49.93s, but on Sunday was beaten by world indoor champion John Newcombe in the 800m by 2 seconds, however recording a season’s best of 2:51.35s. John followed this up 1.5 hours later with a gold in the 3000m with another championship best of 12:25.93. A modest Batchelor confessed afterwards that “there are of course very few M75 runners left so winning age group races is not too difficult, but you have to be in it to win it and my times are all high up in the UK all-time rankings for the age – generally 2nd or 3rd best”.

News Just In
Prolific racer Malcolm Muir has completed the Inverness half marathon. Muir’s time was an excellent 73.13 which placed hi 10th overall and 2nd in the vet 40 category.

 

  Press Report 8th March 2016  

Mar 082016
 

ESSEX 20
Langham
Sunday 6 March

This year’s Essex 20 mile road championship was held on the usual three lap course around the village of Langham near Colchester. The event this year also incorporated an inter counties match between Essex, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Kent and Bedfordshire and Ilford ACs Blair McWhirter was picked to represent the county in their four man team winning his first Essex county vest.

A chilly, breezy Sunday morning greeted the field of almost 400 runners who produced some good results. Leading the way for Ilford was Blair McWhirter, slightly down on his normal pace but still finished an impressive 7th in 1hr 53m 35s, which placed him 5th in the Essex championship. Malcolm Muir put in his usual determined run for the club to come home 12th in 1h 57 21s to win the M40 age category. Sam Rahman closed the scoring team in 48th pace in 2h 07m 44 seconds . The Ilford AC team were placed 3rd team in the county championship to win the bronze team medals. Robin McNelis recorded a new personal best time of 2h 08m 27s in 51st and was placed 9th in the county M40 category. Neil Crisp finished 67th and 5th in the Essex M50 age group in 2h 15m 05s.

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For the Ilford Ladies Jenni Sheehan finished 34th female in the race in her 20 mile debut recording 2h 42m 28s, while Julia Galea posted 3h 19m 26s when crossing the line 3rd in the county F55 grouping to take the bronze, her first Essex medal.

  Press Report 1st March 2016  

Mar 012016
 

Roding Valley Half Marathon
Woodford
Sunday 28 February

The Roding Valley half marathon took place on a chilly, breezy Sunday morning on a challenging course from the Ashton Playing Fields around Woodford but the runners from Ilford AC rose to the event and posted times close to their best for the distance. Leading the way with an excellent run was Steve Philcox who placed 6th overall in a field of 571 finishers in a time of 1hr 21mins 07 secs, which won him the M50 age category prize. Kevin Wotton came home 44th in 1h 28m 05s with Declan Cullen recording 1h 42m 28s for 176th with Steve Parker the next over the line 11 seconds later, In position 234 Billy Green came home in 1h 52m 21s, while Baldev Singh ran 2.11.16 for position 471.

Bree Nordin placed 12th lady and 128th for 1h 38m 44s and took first place in the F50 grouping. Rachel Halpin ran a personal best for the distance of 1h 57m 12s in 72nd spot among the ladies., while Nicola Chester put in a good performance for 103th female in 2h 05m 23s

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Tokyo Marathon
Sunday 28 February

Ilford ACs Nicola Hopkinson travelled further afield to take part in the Tokyo Marathon. This race has a field of around 36000, with marathon running being of a high standard in Japan. Nicola ran her best race at the distance for 8 years on a warm, sunny day recording 3h 44m 51s.

Other Races

Meanwhile Malcolm Muir placed 8th overall out of a field of 264 finishers and first over-40 in the Serpentine “Last Friday” 5K in a time of 17m 04s. John Batchelor, in his first outdoor race for over a year following a serious back injury, finished 169th overall, but comfortably beat the course over-75 record by 51 seconds recording 22m 34s.

Batchelor had also ran 2:51.57 in the Vets AC Indoor 800m a couple of weeks ago, which puts him third on the UK indoor all-time M75 rankings. Last Sunday in the Southern Vets AC Championships he ran 2:52.16 followed by a 12:38.47 3000m for 2nd on the all-time indoor rankings.

  Press Report Ilford AC 23rd February  

Feb 232016
 

Hampton Court Half Marathon
London Thames Ditton
Sunday 21st February
Ilford AC’s Paul Holloway continued his warm up for the Barcelona Marathon next month with another impressive performance last Sunday. The ever improving Ilford runner clocked 1.20.30 which was just shy of his PB and placed him 21st in a large field of 1500 runners.

Midweek Indoor Middle Distance Open Meeting
Lee Valley
Wednesday 15th February

At the recent open meeting at the Lee Valley Athletic Centre two Ilford AC runners took to the indoor track. First up in heat 4 was Blair McWhirter, in his first ever indoor race. Blair took control at the first bend and the pushed on to win the race in 4m 21.98s. Sam Rahman ran in heat 6 and took a different approach by starting towards the back of the pack and worked his way forward throughout the 7 1/2 lap race to come home 3rd in 4min 32.12 secs, an outright personal best indoor or out by 4 seconds.

Chingford League 8km
Victoria Park
Saturday 20th February

The final match of this winter’s Chingford League was held on the fast, flat road course in Victoria Park, Hackney last Saturday and Ilford AC, running as guests, were well represented among the 183 finishers. Blair McWhirter, who is good form as he prepares for a fast run in the London Marathon, was once again among the early leaders before he powered ahead to take his second victory of the week in 25mins 40 secs. Sam Rahman was next home with another good run and finishing 17th in 28 mins exactly, while Neil Crisp finished 34th and 2nd in the M50 category with 29mins 09 secs. Next finisher for the club was Kieran McKenna in 32m 57s for 67th, with Dan Cogan 111th in 41m 18s just in front of Rob Sargent who recorded 41m 30s.

For the ladies Jenni Sheehan, who is another in great form, led the way placing 6th in 32m 18s. Nicola Chester ran a good race for 43th spot in 41m 30s and Julia Galea completed the Ilford squad in 47th with 42m 15s.

 

  Press Report 16th February  

Feb 162016
 

Deal Half Marathon – 14th Feb
Elsewhere Ilford AC’s Paul Holloway continued his build up to the Barcelona Marathon with a fine run in the Deal half marathon last Sunday. Paul tackled the notorious hills surrounding the Kent coastal town to record an excellent time of 1.22.50 for this challenging course which was good enough to place him 9th overall.